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Staff Profile

  • Emma Whewell first studied Sports Science and Physiology at the University of Leeds. She went on to study a PGCE in Physical Education at Durham University. After graduating Emma worked as a physical education teacher in Bradford and following this Leeds as head of PE teaching children in key stages 3-5. In 2002 Emma moved to a school on the outskirts of Newcastle where she was working as a Head of Year and PE teacher.

    She joined the University of Northampton in 2006 as part of the Initial Teacher Training team. She is currently the Programme Leader of the BA Sports Development and Physical Education degree. Whilst working here she has completed her MA in Education focussing on the teaching of children classed as vulnerable. She has completed her PhD on the formation of identity in newly qualified teachers.

    Emma is a member of the Primary Physical Education European Network group and the All Party Parliamentary Group for a fit and healthy childhood. She is an external examiner for Leeds Trinity University’s Accelerated Physical Education degree and an external consultant for other teacher training providers.

  • BA Sports Development and Physical Education
    • An introduction to physical education and school sport
    • How to be successful at university
    • Teaching, learning and assessment in physical education
    • Work placement 
    • Critical issues in physical education
    • Dissertation supervision
  • Emma Whewell’s PhD is written on the formation of identity in newly qualified teachers.

    Emma is a member of the Primary Physical Education European Network group and the All Party Parliamentary Group for a fit and healthy childhood.

    She is also involved in the eTwinning projects and DLAB2: Developing Changemakers an Erasmus+ project. This involves working with schools and universities in five European countries to improve access to and usage of mobile technology including AR and VR .

    Emma runs the ILT bid IrisConnect looking at using IrisConnect software to support the dialogue between expert and novice teachers.

    Emma has supervised MA students who are pursuing an MA in the field of Physical Education.

  • For publications, projects, datasets, research interests and activities, view Emma Whewell’s research profile on Pure, the University of Northampton’s Research Explorer.

    • Whewell (2008) Factors Effecting Confidence to teach PE in PGCE Primary Students
    • Whewell and Kellam (2009) Linked Learning and its use in Physical Education. Physical Education Matters
    • Whewell and Hardman (2009) Equality in Primary Physical Education.
    • Whewell (2009) Factors affecting Primary trainee’s confidence to teach Physical Education (conference paper)
    • Whewell and Watts (2010) Yoga and M.I.S.P; using peer massage to promote positive behaviour. Physical Education Matters
    • Devi and Whewell (2010) an evaluation of special school placements as part of a BAQTS primary course. (TEAN 2011 and AfPE 2010)
    • Devi, Smith and Whewell (2012) Inclusion: supporting SEN/D Pupils KS3 in Physical Education using the Independent Learning Tool (ILT) – a midpoint review
    • Devi, Whewell and Smith (2013) Inclusion: supporting SEN/D Pupils KS3 in Physical Education using the Independent Learning Tool (ILT) – an evaluation of the process. AfPE national Conference
    • Whewell and Smith (2013) When opportunity knocks! BERA 2013 presentation University of Sussex
    • Whewell, Woolley and Kellam (2014) Teaching Primary Physical Education. In Smith, P. and Dawes, L. Subject Teaching in Primary School. London: Sage. (chapter on PE)
    • November (2014) Northamptonshire Sport Conference: Preparing to teach the new Curriculum… What do OFSTED want?
    • Caldwell, H., Grantham, S., Heaton, R., and Whewell, E. (2015) Switched on iPad Science. London: Rising Stars.
    • Caldwell, H., Heaton, R., Bracey. P., Whewell, E., (2015) Enhancing teaching in a cross curricular context though the use of technology and shared learning. TEAN Conference, Birmingham.
    • June (2016) ICICTE Conference- Rhodes- Digital leaders across boundaries
    • July (2016) University of Northampton PhD Conference- The challenge of maintaining a long-distance relationship- using Blackboard Collaborate as a research tool.
    • October (2016) AFPE ITTE National Conference- Supporting NQT’s in School
    • Whewell and Woolley (2016) STTEPPS the next step for inclusive practice. Sprint NCC
    • December (2016) Northamptonshire Sport Conference: Technology Outdoors workshop.
    • March (2017) AFPE ITTE National Conference: Technology Outdoors
    • Turner and Whewell (2017) Specialist Mentors for Generalist teachers. Physical Education Matters. Association for Physical Education.
    • Whewell and Woolley (2017) Inclusive Technology Outdoors. Sage
    • June (2017) I am a very small fish! Poster Presentation University of Northampton PhD conference.
    • April (2018) Identity in NQT’s: Presentation at the Early Years Conference, University of Weingarten, Germany.
    • July (2018) Identity formation in NQT PE specialists. AIESEP international conference, University of Edinburgh.
    • All Party Parliamentary Group (2019) The primary PE and sport premium. APPG on a Fit and Healthy Childhood. Contributing Author.
    • All Party Parliamentary Group (2019) Mental Health and Movement APPG on a Fit and Healthy Childhood. Contributing Author.
    • Whewell E. (2019) Primary Physical Education Teacher Identity. In: Peters M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Teacher Education. Springer, Singapore
    • Whewell, E (2019) Experiences concerning the development of identities of primary school physical education specialist teachers during the first year of teaching in England. A phenomenological case study’ Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy At the University of Northampton
    • Caldwell, H., Whewell, E., and Heaton, R. (2020) The impact of Visual posts on creative thinking and knowledge building in an online community of educators. Thinking Skills and Creativity. 36 
    • Caldwell, H., Whewell, E., Bracey, P., Heaton, r., Crawford, H., Shelley, C. (2020) Teaching on insecure foundations? Pre-service teachers in England’s perceptions of the wider curriculum subjects in primary schools. Cambridge Journal of Education.
    • Whewell, Caldwell and Garrett (September 2020) Taking Technology outdoors. Digital Northampton Tech at 10: Next Generation Digital Workforce.
    • Whewell, Caldwell, Garrett and Malloch (June 2020) Digital learning across boundaries, using technology to support changemaking in an international context. Merged Futures Online Conference.
    • Whewell, Caldwell, Garrett and Malloch (June 2020) Merged Futures interview for NLive Radio. Digital Learning Across Boundaries.
    • Whewell, E., Theinert, K., Cox, A.  (in press) Sharing practice in an international context –  a critique of the benefits of international exchanges for trainee teachers. The Eastern European Journal of Transnational Relations (EEJTR).
    • Whewell E. (2020) Mentoring: skills, knowledge and attributes of a successful physical education mentor. In: Peters M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Teacher Education. Springer, Singapore